The Sword and Shield: Today’S Christian Crusader

By John W. Edwards III

In todays multicultural atmosphere, Christians struggle to hold steadfast to the Word of God. Doubt, sin, and false teachers beckon at every turn and do their best to derail our faith. Therefore, Christians need to don the armor of God and yield His sword.

Rich in theological history and filled with hope, The Sword and Shield reveals how Christians must embrace Gods word and stand firm in the belief of His eternal promise. Using his extensive theological knowledge, John W. Edwards III shares his personal journey of faith and demonstrates how todays Christian crusaders must remain diligent against Satans relentless attacks.

Edwards examines the lives of several biblical leaders, including Moses, Daniel, David, and Paul, to show how they anchored believers to Gods holy message. He then discusses ways in which Christians can wield the sword of truth by knowing Gods message, living within the character of Christ, and preparing to be tested each day. In this way, Christians can apply their knowledge and discern between Gods truth and Satans lies.

We are not measured to man, but measured to Gods word. Find your truth within Gods word and prepare to draw your sword!

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 9, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462044665

John W. Edwards III

John W. Edwards III was born in Florida, where he still lives today, and has traveled extensively. He is an experienced investigator, thorough research analyst, and dedicated Christian disciple. Edwards is active on several Christian social network sites and writes weekly Christian blog articles.

Book preview

Contents

The Sword and Shield

About the Sword

The Old Testament

The New Testament

The Skilled and Unskilled Swordsman

The History of the Sword

The Sword of Moses

The Sword of Elijah

The Sword of Solomon

The Sword of David

The Sword of Daniel

The Sword of Paul

Divine Swordsmanship

Demon’s and Satan’s Deceivers

The Writers of the Sword

Sword Training

Continued Sword Development

EASTER ISLAND

Mexico’s CHICHN ITZÁ

China’s Qin Shi Huang Di

Turkey NEMRUD DAG

India KHAJURAHO

Skilled Swordsmanship

The Sword of Discipleship

The Courage of Discipleship

The Window of Dreams

The History of the Crusades

Living by the Sword

Henry Box Brown

Two Tickets to Freedom

Thank you Jesus

Life & Death

Deadly Deceptions

Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk!

Know What You Know

Acknowledgements

"Dear gracious and most heavenly Father. We meet today to worship your name, in a world where your name has become forbidden, in a world that does not know it is lost and in a world that has lost its narrow way to the cross. Your faithful servant is humbled before you, unworthy of your mercy and grace, but seeking your power and authority to bring a lost or drifting soul to you. Bless the one who holds this book in their hands, that they might receive your blessings, and listen to your call for their sanctification, salvation and inspiration. We ask your Holy Spirit to be among us, in this hour of need for you, oh Lord, that in your mercy and grace we would find eternal peace, through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you Father for your generosity, your sacrifice and for all you do in providing all we have; for all I have is yours. Now Father let your will be done and move me into holy service, in your name, for your glory and your kingdom.

I pray this in Jesus, holy and precious name, Amen."

Now we may begin…

Christian Crusader

Prepare to

Draw your Sword

Ephesians 6:10-20

The Sword and Shield

Today’s Christian Crusader

So why write another book about the Bible? As times change, so do generations, lifestyles and the obstacles we face. Many people are still wandering-wondering and have not experienced REAL sanctification of the Holy Spirit. Many people still struggle with demons and burdens that weigh them down to earthly desires. And there are also many atheists who have not answered simple basic questions that I have to ask. Ravi Zacharias once said, If you are not in a regular battle with Satan, then maybe he doesn’t see you as a worthy opponent! Wow, what a profound statement! I thought to myself, Have I truly stepped out for my Lord and spoken His truth or am I one of those secret agent Christians that claim it but seldom ever reveal it? I know that I know and need to know that you know. Then we will both know that we know. You know?

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.

Titus 2:11-13

Here is the bottom line; if there is one person that is in doubt, I want to live my life to help them remove that doubt. If there is one person that needs assurance; I want to be that one who leads them to the Light. If there is one person who needs hope; I want to be there for them pointing the right way. If there is one person needing clarity in understanding how to receive righteousness, I want to be there for them. You will come to know that I am very humble about the skill that God has blessed me with. I am very thankful and owe all I do and all I am to Christ. To flaunt my credentials to a crowd is not my style. To go on and on about my education is less productive than it is to put it to use. I write like I talk, so what you read is the same as if we were sitting on the front porch chatting about life. I am a research analyst, investigative reporter with a sincere desire to please God. That is simply who I am.

So why write another book about the God? The main reason is because He hasn’t returned yet and too many people wonder why. Too many people are overly concerned with this side of death and less concerned with the other side of it. I meet people every day who are worried about death and some are truly consumed with it. Many wonder;

o What happens the moment that you die?

o Is there a bright light when you pass?

o Is there an angel that meets you on the other side?

o Do we have guardian angels that are assigned to us?

o Do they give you a new spirit orientation guidebook when you cross over?

o What are they doing right now in heaven?

Those who worry may not have their Sword securely in their hand or their shield firmly in place. So, let us explore those questions and see if we can see a sign that will secure some worthy confidence in our faith.

You see signs at ballgames, rallies and events that shout:

But does the world truly embrace the significance of: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. I struggle with the numbers of people who claim the name of Christ yet do not live in His word. Are the people around you truly saved or do they walk through the motions of life comfortable as they compare themselves to others OR does their confidence come from walking in obedience of Christ? Do you know the difference? Are you saved? Have you truly received the Holy Spirit in a fulfillment of sanctification? Should we concern ourselves with the many who do not believe? What does the Bible say about our role as Christians? How do I know Jesus is speaking to me? These are typical questions of those who straddle the fence, unsure of their salvation or waiver in complete surrender. It is comfortable for some to say they are not as religious as they should be, then continue in a worldly walk. As we move forward, let us answer life’s questions with God’s word rather than mans opinion.

The Sword is a Christian’s history, ancestry, glory, story, and God’s Holy word. The Creator and the authorized writers scribed our past, present and future in the Holy Bible. It is the answer for every question of this world as well as a promise of a new eternal bliss. God in His eternal wisdom is always right and has provided a narrow path for eternal bliss. It is the difference between going to church and being the church. The Bible is the most read library of books that has ever been written. Yes, it is a library of books between two bookends of time. It is the beginning, an explanation of the end and an insight of new beginnings. Those who study and understand God’s word are called to salvation by a single moment of sanctification that moves you into a life of Christianity. It is an acknowledgement, then belief, and then a movement to receive. This is a process that takes you into a daily devotional fellowship with Christ. There are so many people that walk in His creation, and as they breathe His air, they mock His name and His Word. Those who mock and refuse His direction have fallen into damnation. This is not a movie, a cartoon or a made for TV show! To avoid demons and damnation we must become skilled Swordsman and this skill is a learned process. We will walk from an acceptance of belief through the learning of our history through the development of knowledge and into a confirmation of discipleship. It is a daily plan against legendary temptation!

When our faith becomes firmly centered in Christ,

Satan will move on those close to us. He works every angle and he’s good at it!

There are many who have paved the road for us to follow and there are many who will steer you off into the ditch, down the dirt road and into darkness. Some teach the Bible truth while some practice deception and are self-serving. The only way to know the difference is to read the word of God, study His word and know the difference between a lamb and a wolf. Wolves’ will devourer this world in packs. A lamb is a humble servant of this world that desires greener pastures into the Holy Land. Wolves seem to consume it all right now while the lamb drinks from an eternal cup where he or she will never thirst again. There is only one place that maintains this promise and it is the word of God. His holy word is your Sword and your solemn faith in His word is your eternal shield.

The Bible speaks of many miracles witnessed and people wonder where all the miracles of today are. The disciples and followers of Christ write about them every day. The problem is that most news broadcasts announce the sin, not the loving kindness shown by God every day. People lost in sin worry most about what they are going through. Christian’s who are truly saved are concerned with where they are going, not where they have been. And there is a major difference! It is a conscious choice and there are only two roads to travel. One is wrong and the other is right. Christ is on the right…

This composition contains historical evidence that I believe offers vision, provides clear guidance and documents prophesy of new beginnings. Each chapter of this book contains Bible teachings and the fight of a history of patience in God’s will. Histories of many events are listed though this book that parallel today’s real life breaking news. A good example is of myths and debates about global warming. This was discussed many times over in my book titled 2012 Global Warning. The earth will be destroyed by fire. But God doesn’t have a clock on us and time is not a factor in His warnings. He has a path that has not yet been fulfilled. When you walk a path, you do not arrive at the end until you reach your predetermined destination. God has predetermined our end, it is described in several books of the Bible but we have not yet arrived at our research destination. But we will.

Our responsibility is to read, listen, learn, grow, give, teach, tell, help, forgive, love, and care today. We live by faith and trust. It is a divine faith in God and trust in our deliverance from evil. Our gift is prayer and salvation by grace. We have the distinct gift of being able to speak directly to God, our Father, Lord and personal Savior as we ask Him directly for the gift of salvation that Jesus shed over 10 pints of blood for in less than 12 hours. When the Roman soldiers came by to break his legs before removing Jesus from the cross, they noticed He was already dead so one of the soldiers pierced the side of Jesus with a spear and immediately blood and water came out. Ten to twelve pints of blood fill the average body, but medical journals say that plasmas surround the heart and when spilled it has the look of water. Jesus died of a heart attack and He was dead before the two thieves who were crucified next to Him had died. His heart literally stopped because of the weight of the worlds sin He had taken from the past, present and future. Draw your Sword and verify these facts for yourself in John 19:31-37. Be always on-guard with Bible ready because we will do this a lot! When you are ever in doubt, draw your Sword. God’s word is our final authority!

This was the physical destination of Jesus and out of an empty tomb was the Christ who ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for all those who believe, accept and follow. See, Jesus is His earthly name and Christ is His spiritual name that confirms His deity. This is a Christian’s foundational belief. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And, He is part of the Trinity of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit who is One. God dwells in the Promised Land and a true born again person in Christ does not wait for the promise to be fulfilled. He is One God who is Spirit and became man to provide a sacrifice for our sin. We go to Him to fulfill the promise WE make to Him. That promise is simple yet many find too difficult to see:

John 20:29 where Jesus said, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believe."

John 20:30-31 where John informed all that man other signs were performed that were not recorded in the Bible but that these things that have been written so you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing you may have life in His name.

John 21:17 where Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him and Peter replied, Lord, You know all things; You know I love You. And Jesus said, Tend My sheep.

Revelation 21:27 where John wrote that nothing unclean will enter Heaven but only those whose names have been written in the Lambs Book of Life.

But don’t take my word, you decide for yourself! This is your foundation and supports a lifestyle of obedience to His every word. This is where we will begin; on this day, in this culture and in this century as the same as it was in the first century. Let us begin our walk through His word, His way and in His will…

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God come upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.

Ephesians 5:5-8

About the Sword

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ephesians 6:17-20

The Bible; God’s Holy Word, Testaments of His chosen Prophets, the Apostles of Jesus Christ, the Epistles, the Canon and my Sword. They include a collection of letters that are assembled to organize, inform, educate, govern, provide comfort, provide accountability, instill discipline, and honor the Lord our God. The Holy Bible provides a collection of evidence for all to follow the instructions of God to the people of the Old Testament and introduces His Son as the New Testament from His birth through forever where His Grace covers The Law… It is an unquestionable gift of God loves desire for His people to love Him as their Father and know Him through His word and His Son’s saving grace. GOD!

The first thing man must do is decide what god they intend to worship and where they will place their complete faith, trust and love. It means everything to do this first and understand who is the creator of all things as well as who is in control of the universe. There are many gods to choose from and man creates more and more idols each and every day. If anything is placed between you and God, it then becomes your idol…

Today’s Christian Crusader must know how to define the differences in worship. Worship must have a figure of divine trust and hope. Let’s walk through a few of the better-known gods of today’s religions or polytheism, which is the belief in multiple deities.

• Allah: The god of Islam as written in the Qur’an (kor-an) and is the fundamental pillar of faith for Muslims. Allah never took human form and Muslims refuse the thought of Jesus as the Christ as well as deny the Trinity as holy. Muhammad ibn Abdullah founded Islam and Allah in 632AD, wrote the Qur’an and he died then stayed dead. This religion does not recognize heaven as an eternal destination because they do not recognize the path through Jesus Christ as THE Way to get there. It is written in the Qur’an to anyone who leaves Allah and worships the Almighty Living God through Jesus Christ must die a physical death. Christians recognize that if you ignore Christ you will die a spiritual death, forever.

• Baha’i: The Bahaullah was originally a follower of the babi religion founded by the Babi and he is dead. Shoi Effendi Rabbani was the leader in succession to Abdul Baha and he is now dead as well. They both have remained among the dead. Those who died believing in bahai are spiritually dead forever.

• Brahma: In Hindu Brahma is the creator and senior member of the triad of Hinud gods. Braham is their creator of the universe. He was man made and has never shown visible signs of true life. So, it is difficult for something to die that has never lived. This man-made thing is part of this world and has no value into the next.

• Buddha: Its founder Siddhartha Gautama, prince in northern India around 483BC, created the statue that has covered the globe in popularity. He created Buddhism as a form of atheism, which found it difficult to entrust anyone with his or her eternal soul. He is dead now and the statue has taken on many forms and many different materials used since this era. Most people of today think that Buddha is a god but he was mortal man and never wandered more than 200 miles from his home therefore he never knew of Jewish worship or world creation. His sole being was to become one as the earth. Buddha is looked up to and thought well of as a teacher, much like a prophet and he found his own perfection in nirvana. This meant he found himself to be perfectly moral, perfectly ethical, and found to be perfect. A sort of legend in his own mind but he is now perfectly dead. I also find it interesting that the lead rocker of the band Nirvana, earlier named fecal matter, with years of a drug and drunken life, committed suicide in 1994 with a shotgun to his chin and a departure note. So, the meaning of nirvana is one who has attained ultimate wisdom? Both were famous in their own right, in their own world and both remain dead in this world. But he was right about one thing; he became part of this earth when they buried his earthly physical body but his spirit is very much alive. The difference is in his eternal destination. Like the Buddha symbols, a rabbit’s foot is about as lucky.

• Vishnu: In Hindu Vishnu is the preserver of the universe and there are ten avatars of Vishnu: Matsya the fish, Kurma the turtle, Varaha the boar, Narasimha the man-lion, Vamana the dwarf, Parashurama a sage with an axe, Rama the king of ayodhya, Krishna, brother to Balarama, Buddha the thinker, and Kalki the destroyer. George Lucas could not have asked for a better star line-up of aliens or new world orders. All of these characters were man made, man created, therefore one who never lived cannot create. They are simply dead creations. I thought these guys were at the bar in the first Stars Wars movie but I could be mistaken.

• Cheng-huang: These are Chinese protective gods who provide them with rain, harvests and are guides to souls into the heavens. The communistic People’s Republic of China needs this with there 70 million plus people. Men imagined these gods, created by man and are as dead as the men who created them. China is ghastly again becoming a world dominating power. I wonder who is behind communist power…

• Sky gods or deities include: ouranos, shu, indra, tyr ullr, cabaguil, torngasoak, anu, nyame, denka, altjira, shanga, gamab, tengri, ukka and a several Lithuanian sky deities like; dievas, ausrine, dalia, gabija, laima, menuo, perkunas, saule, zemyna, asvieniai, and zvaigzdes. All of these gods have no appearance of life and were created by man therefore they died when man’s imagination died.

• There are many mother figures that are worshiped and prayed to for blessings, safe keeping and nurturing love: potnia theron, Aphrodite, Mary, brigid, cybele, Demeter, devi, durga, freyja, frigg, gaia, hathor, hecate, ishtar, isis, jord, kamakhya, kali, laxmi, mut, nerthus, ops, pachamama, rhea, tawaret, triple goddess and yashoda. None of these gods represent an appearance of life today. The Mother Mary, mother of Jesus is a figure of respect but she is not a god to be worshiped or prayed through or to. Many Catholics will cringe at this statement but if you kneel before Mary then you are kneeling before the wrong one. If this statement offends you then you are really going to be livid later on! Refer to Matthew 2:11 where they came to worship HIM…

• Christadephians: This was a religious sect founded by Dr. John Thomas in 1832 as his ship encountered many storms and he swore oath to God if He would spare his life he would honor Him forever. God did His part and Thomas studied with the Cambellites for some time until he decided to split the group and start the Brethren of Christ. Then in the 1800s church leaders split off from this group to form Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, Christian Science, Seventh Day Adventism and Spiritualism. These groups began calling out the end of time beginning with the Civil War. As with most groups they concentrate and dwell on the end of time. Many of these groups wrote different books of doctrine claiming the sole right to biblical occurrences and beings. All the creators of these different religions are dead. The spirit of Christ is in everlasting life, not death. Don’t preach or teach the end, focus on NEWness of life in Christ.

• Scientology: Scientologists look at god as being infinity and the allness of all where god is simply a vague concept. They believe that man is of three dimensions: soul, mind and body. This cult was the revolutionary invention of L. Ron Hubbard in 1954 based on his own theories. (Remember, the Holy Bible is not theory.) Ron later wrote science fiction books and claimed to be an art of the world he wrote about. Ron then crawled in a cave somewhere and died in 1986. His legacy lives on through famous folks like; Kirstie Alley, Tom Cruise, Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, Kelly Preston, John Travolta, Greta Van Susteren, Edgar Winter and many more. Scientologists who are now dead are now in infinity and in their all-ness of Hades. Ron Hubbard never survived his experience with death but has most definitely experienced the full measure of his religious practice. He is dead in body and in spirit. This practice of faith will grow into the new age religion and has already found a good foothold in America as well as Great Britain. I believe this new age thinking will be the path of the anti-Christ and move to one world church religion.

• New god: Yes, you can invent your own god because all the others have and the men who created these gods feel it served them well on this earth. There is a great story in the Old Testament about a golden calf that was man made and many people donated their gold to the creation of this idol. You should read it sometime. The problem is that you are only here for a little while then your god dies with you. And nowhere has any other god ever promised eternal life in paradise with him or she except God, Yahweh, Jehovah King of Kings, Lord of Lords and the only way to heavenly paradise is through Jesus Christ who died as sacrifice for our sin. The only God, undisputed in any language, rose from death and lives today. The only God ever to have defeated death. Exodus 20

• Almighty God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is the Trinity being of one God as written in Isaiah. The living God and Creator of heaven and earth as well as the first man and his wife, Adam and Eve in Genesis. The God of the living Bible and the Word of God spoken through Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Abraham, David, Daniel, Solomon, Job, Isaiah, and Amos. The God who came to us as Jesus, God in flesh, to offer Himself as a living sacrifice for our sin and provide the gift of eternal life through Him and fill our lives with the Holy Spirit as He did Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James and Jude. He is the All Mighty, glorious, in majesty, with dominion and authority for now and forever. The New Testament created by God through Jesus: Also known as Christ, born of the Virgin Mary. His genealogy is recorded in Matthew 1:1-17 through Joseph and Luke 3:23-28 through Mary. Born as a Nazarene then moved to Egypt for His protection from king Herod who feared the newborn King. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, tempted by Satan, performed many healings, brought Lazarus out of his tomb after fours days of death, and fed five-thousand plus people from a child’s lunch basket. He was seen transfigured with Moses and Elijah, prophesized His own death, was arrested, held in trial, crucified and died with no legal statement made of any crime. Then He arose . . . The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, He is the just and deserving King of Kings. These are the Gospels of Jesus Christ in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I began this composition with Him and I will close with Him, just as I have done here above all man made idols of past, present and future. To live forever in His Kingdom, these things must fill your heart and your mind. If He lives within you then He will live in you beyond today into His eternal way!

No other god has ever raised himself or herself from death except Jesus Christ. So why would anyone serve a dead god or a spiritualistic being with no past experience or future existence? If you are worshiping any other variation than the Almighty God Jehovah according to His world scribed in His Holy Bible then you are worshiping an idealistic view of our Creator and outside His knowing you. Any variation to His Holy Bible, additions or deletions of God’s word is against God’s word (Revelation 22:18-19). The Holy Bible is The Living Word of God and by faith alone will you receive the gifts His word has in store for you but it begins with a complete unconditional trust in Him. You will see this again and again through this literature as a validation of His greatness. Understand today that no matter what scientific statement is made, someone had faith in his or her belief that it is truth. Every word that an atheist or agnostic speaks is based on their faith in what they believe to be truth. Even though they cannot answer one question: how do you get something from nothing? At some point in history, there was nothing then something was formed. It is the difference between Creator and evolution. But how could we evolve from nothing?

Understand also that someone, because of his or her faith, believes every word of the Qur’an. Every person that believes they are one with the earth has faith that this is true. Every person that asks Buddha for help is asking it based on faith that he will deliver. Everyone who rubs a rabbit’s foot, or knocks on wood, or saves a lucky charm; must have faith that this belief is truth. If a person says they do not believe in any spiritual being and when you die, you die, that person has faith that their belief is true. Every person in this globe has faith in something. The difference is that no other belief system in the universe has a living Father that has documented His creation, has documented the birth and life of His Son, has absolutely no argument of the death of His Son Jesus Christ, hundreds of witnesses of His resurrection and inspired the most read and longest living literature ever recorded in the history of the universe. Ever! It is trust in this evidence and it is faith that will comfort you in every word and every step you take in this life. Faith through Jesus Christ is the only thing that gets you into an eternal life with Him. Read, learn, listen, know, understand, ask questions, work at it, research it, pray about it, and He will speak to you as well as deliver you from any doubt. Place your faith in the word that is God and know you will be saved by His grace through Jesus Christ. This will become evident through your studies. Your study and understanding will help you when you are face to face with a demon. Know now that you will face many demonic deceptions! Being skeptic is understandable but being unprepared is foolish. Wisdom comes from being prepared. Proverbs 1:7

The Old Testament is our life’s ancestry, the paths that they carved, the mistakes they made, the battles, the wars, the sacrifices, the pain, the rejoicing, and the following of God’s plan. The Old Testament is filled with marvelous love stories, stories of greed, stories of kingship, battle strategies, war, and descriptions of incredible journeys, magical mysteries, biographies of great men and women, and life before the birth of Jesus. This time was filled with sacrifice, burnt offerings to God, elaborate temples, blood offerings of honor and men who spoke with God. Like today, they experienced the temptations of demons that worked on every fiber of their being. The same demons that haunted their lives are alive today. There are many people who are still living their lives today out of the Old Testament ways. Many denominations still practice celebrations and traditions of old and do not recognize the New Testament of Christ. Many religions base their history from the Old Testament and ignore the New Testament as if Jesus Christ did not exist. The Moslem religion is one that does not recognize the New Testament and they created their own. The Latter Days Saints still recognize the old Passover and never moved forward with the resurrection of Christ being the new salvation and New Testament of blood passage into heaven. These many people will have some explaining to do upon their name being called on judgment day. God’s chosen the Jewish people and their traditional beliefs, is an entirely different topic of research. Maybe my next book idea…

The New Testament began with the birth of Jesus, Son of God. Many knew of His coming and knew of His birth yet did not seek Him. In His youth He sat and amazed Priests with His wisdom and knowledge of the Old Testament and ancient documents. He asked questions seeming to test the priests’ knowledge rather than His own. When it was His time, He then returned to teach as an adult. Great men, who walked with Jesus during those few years that He graced us with His physical presence, wrote letters of testimony. He laid out very clear instructions for a successful life on earth and a successful path to heaven. He healed, showed compassion to the weak, validated His authority to all, chose 12 men who would record the walk to eternal life and then made the ultimate sacrifice of His blood so there would be no need to shed ours. He left us a pattern for life in His death. He is the vineyard of the earth and we are His branches. Branches of any tree are expected to be fruitful and any branch that does not produce fruit is a dead branch. Dead branches are pruned then burned. Faith without works is a branch that is dead. To believe in God’s word and follow His will means to have faith in His promise and tell others of His works in you. Faith and belief without works is useless to a Christian’s commitment. His second coming has been announced and I wonder if you will have the faith that it takes to want to seek a place in His grace. As each day passes of your indecision the temperature rises. Bless those that know.

Your Sword has two edges and the Old Testament is one edge while the other edge is the New Testament. The handle is your hold on His divine word and the point leads to salvation only obtained through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the divine Light and the only way to heavenly paradise. While you have your Sword firmly in your hand there is nothing in this world that can take you from His hands. How do I know this? It is the promise directly from His lips. Get ready to draw your Sword! John 10:10

01 - Open Bible.jpg

But, before we travel further, let’s choose our Sword carefully. As many Crusaders of the Faith, choosing the right Sword is important so you will have something comfortable to wield. There are several translations to select from and I would recommend a Study Bible. A Study Bible helps with translation, time, who, why, reason, reference, etc. Here are a few translation options, in no particular order:

The New American Standard Version (NASV)

The American Standard Version (ASV)

The New King James Version (NKJV)

The New International Version (NIV)

The King James Version (KJV)

The New World Version (NWV)

I have several translations that I use to research but the Bible I carry with me everywhere I go is the NASV, The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible. I have great respect for Dr. Charles F. Stanley and find his life’s learning lessons to be relevant and easy to understand in applications for anyone’s every day life. His style of ministry is smooth, basic, and thorough. He has the ability to speak on all topics with scriptural truths. He takes no credit for the success of his ministry, www.intouch.org and gives all the glory to